The German cabinet has approved an amendment to the Building Energy Act requiring that almost all newly installed heating systems should run on 65% renewable energy from 2024. Authorised alternatives to fossil fuel heating comprise heat pumps that run on renewable electricity, district heating, electric heating or solar thermal systems; under certain conditions, there is an option of "H2-ready" gas heaters (gas heaters that can be converted to 100% hydrogen). Under the new law, all buildings must be heated in a climate-neutral manner using only renewable energies from 2045.
The plan is part of Germany’s ambition to become climate neutral by 2045 as the construction sector was responsible for 15% of the country’s emissions in 2021. Around three-quarters of the existing building are currently heated with systems using fossil fuel. Heating and hot water account for more than 40% of Germany’s natural gas consumption.
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